Politics February 16, 2017
You may be confused to see shops and restaurants across the United States closed on Thursday.
No, you didn’t forget about a national holiday. The closings are in solidarity for the “A Day Without Immigrants” movement.
The national strike is meant to protest President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration, which includes – but is not limited to – a plan to build a border wall and a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority nations. The latter of which has since been blocked by an appeals court.
The hashtag “#ADayWithoutImmigrants” was trending on Twitter on Thursday, with participants sharing powerful messages such as, “From doctors to dishwashers, immigrants are integral to daily life in the U.S. We stand w/ @ChefJoseAndres #ADayWithoutImmigrants.”
That was posted by Janet Murguía, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza, the country’s largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization.
She was sharing her support for Spanish-American Chef José Andrés, who opted to close five of his restaurants for the day.
The celebrity chef called it a “very easy decision,” explaining that his longtime employees had come to him, telling him they wouldn’t be coming to work that day.
Once he realized what was happening, he was on board. “It seems immigrants, especially Latinos, it seems we are under attack. It seems we are part of the American dream, but somehow it seems that America is not recognizing what we are doing,” he told NPR.
Acclaimed Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza will also close three of her restaurants in Phoenix, Arizona.
And Lowell Faulkner, who owns At Your Service Plumbing in Lakewood, Colorado is participating in the protest as well, even though it will result in a loss of thousands of dollars.
Faulkner, who notes that he has hired immigrants from eight countries over the years, said, “To me, it’s worth it to stand behind them… You’ve got to judge people by the content of their heart, not the color of their skin.”
The response on Twitter was overwhelmingly positive, with school students even posting to advise anyone not staying home for the day to wear black in protest.
Most shared their support and gratitude, such as Marina Preciado, who tweeted, “To those of you protesting today, thank you. Many have fears & need ppl like you to raise your voices. Stay safe. #DayWithoutImmigrants.”
